Current Affairs One - Liner : 31st January 2025

On January 29, 2025, Tata Steel Limited became the first Indian company to develop hydrogen transport pipes. These API X65 grade pipes can transport 100% pure gaseous hydrogen under high pressure (100 bar). They were processed at Tata Steel’s Khopoli plant using steel from its Kalinganagar facility.

On January 31, 2025, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced plans for India to develop its own indigenous AI model. This AI model will focus on India's linguistic diversity and cultural context, and is expected to be ready within 6 to 10 months.
On January 27, 2025, Alibaba unveiled its Qwen 2.5 AI model, claiming it surpasses DeepSeek-V3. The Qwen 2.5-Max outperforms GPT-4o, DeepSeek-V3, and Llama-3.1-405B across various benchmarks.

On January 27, 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) took over the board of Aviom India Housing Finance Pvt. Ltd (AIHFPL) due to governance concerns and payment defaults. Ram Kumar, former Chief General Manager of Punjab National Bank, was appointed as the Administrator. The RBI plans to initiate a resolution process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.
On January 28, 2025, HDFC Securities partnered with KFin Technologies to enhance National Pension System (NPS) access. This collaboration aims to improve the user experience for 3.5 lakh subscribers and over 2,700 corporate clients.
On January 23, 2025, Residential Mortgage-Backed Securitisation Development Company Limited (RDCL) received RBI approval to transform India’s mortgage-backed securitisation market. Established by the National Housing Bank, RDCL aims to develop the RMBS market, create investment opportunities, and provide liquidity solutions. Operations are expected to begin by March 2025.

On January 26, 2025, researchers at Banaras Hindu University discovered a new species of phytopathogenic fungi named Epicoccum indicum. This fungus is associated with an emerging leaf spot disease in Chrysopogon zizanioides (vetiver).

On January 26, 2025, Indian athlete Jyothi Yarraji set a new national record in the 60m hurdles at the Elite Indoor Meeting in Nantes, France. She clocked an impressive time of 8.04 seconds, surpassing her previous record of 8.12 seconds. She won the gold medal in this event, which is part of the World Athletics Indoor Tour bronze level meet.

On January 30, 2025, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a review meeting in New Delhi on Gujarat's implementation of three new criminal legislations: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA). These laws aim to ensure timely justice. The meeting was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other senior officials.

January 31 is celebrated as International Zebra Day. This day is dedicated to raising awareness about zebras, their conservation status, and the efforts needed to protect them and their habitats.
World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day, observed on January 30th, aims to raise awareness about NTDs impacting over a billion people living in poverty. Efforts continue globally and locally, including in India, to combat diseases like dengue and kala-azar.

On January 27, 2025, Rajesh Nirwan, a senior IPS officer from the Rajasthan cadre (1992 batch), was appointed as the Director General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

On January 30, 2025, Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the book "Indian Renaissance: The Modi Decade" at the NDMC Convention Center in New Delhi. Edited by Dr. Aishwarya Pandit, it features essays from 27 distinguished authors.

Questions:

1. Which medal did Jyothi Yarraji win in the 60m hurdles event at the Elite Indoor Meeting in Nantes, France?

2. On January 29, 2025, which Indian company became the first to develop hydrogen transport pipes?